Ch 2 To Plot a Murder

Severus returned to the house of the Dursley's that same day directly before dinner. He took an invisibility cloak and strode slowly up Privet drive. All looked quiet in the house so Severus walked up the garden path, unlocked the door and entered.

He went into the kitchen and seen the Potter boy's horrible looking aunt cooking dinner. He heard children's laughing coming from upstairs so he went that way. He searched the bedrooms until the only one left was the last one at the end. He was about to open it when it was pulled open and out came a crying boy. It was Potter. He ran down stairs where his wailing was stifled slightly. Severus peeked into the room that was filled with three other toddlers. The biggest was a porky child with small blue eyes this was no doubt the son of the Dursley's. Severus felt his lip curl in disdain. He was laughing with two other rather chubby children. They began to throw small hard balls at each other.

Severus retreated in search of Potter. He found the boy coming out of the kitchen his face tear stained and red marks all over his arms. He looked more raggedy now then he had the previous night and Severus followed him into the back yard. The boy went to a shed and removed a small silver bucket. Then he went and kneeled by the flower garden and began to pull out weeds. Severus could hear him mumbling as tears continued to slip from his eyes. He could barely understand the child when he spoke clearly but now it was impossible. Severus stepped into the shade of a tree protecting himself from the last rays of sunlight.

After a while the child stopped crying and to Severus' surprise he was talking again as if he was actually talking to someone. "I will get a spanking fwom unco. He nevnor hits duddy. He says hes uncos favite. Aunty margey is coming today. I hope she don bwing wipper. He aways bites me. I don tink aunty margey wikes me very much" he was saying and Severus could make out the tears in his eyes again. Severus stayed there for hours waiting well into the dark for the boy to finish. When he did he expected the kid to go inside, but he didn't he threw out the weeds and sat on the back porch. He was looking down at the red welts on his dirty arms. Severus saw him wince as he touched one.

"Unco will give me a spanking when he sees des" the kid said. And Severus suddenly became aware of who, or what for that matter, the boy was talking to. It was a big slimy worm. Severus raised his lip in disgust. He didn't mind insects to much after all he used them in potions all the time. It was just the fact that he was handling the live thing like some pet. The boy glanced up at the window as he heard laughing and excited voices. A look of sadness was on his small face. Severus glanced into the window and seen what the noise was. A large beefy woman similar to Vernon Dursley sat at the table the young Dudley on her lap. She was giving him presents and bathing him in love. The child was enjoying it. He seen Petunia finishing dinner and Vernon watching his son with pride on his face. Severus looked down at the boy who had tears in his eyes.

"I wished for pwesnds before. I don get anyting fworm aunty margey. She says I shud go to live in an ofanage. " the boy said he set the worm down and tucked his knees under his chin staring out over the garden, just listening to the sounds of happiness from inside the house. Severus felt anger grow within him. He wanted to kill those filthy muggles in that house. He never liked Potter sr. but he would never wish something like this on his child.

Severus decided to wait there with the boy, perhaps they forgot about him again. The air outside turned cool and the boy began to shiver on the steps. He tucked his small arms into his ragged hand me down t-shirt. Severus was battling the urge to reveal himself when the back door opened. The little boy stood up quickly and faced his large uncle.

"get in the house boy" he hissed. And as Harry scrambled inside his uncle knocked him hard around the head. The boy went flying forward and hit his face on the floor with a crack. The child got up quickly not letting a sob escape, but Severus could see the emotions just below the surface.

"I don't know why you continue to keep that trash." came a sharp voice suddenly. Severus glanced around the large man to see his sister.

"Yes well Petunia insists that we do. Although I have been trying to rid of the little snob since we took him in." Vernon said his tone vicious.

"You could poison him. They won't know. He is still young enough to think that he went wandering through the house found a bottle of bleach and took a sip." the woman said. Severus was shocked but what made him angry was Vernon was actually considering it.

"I suppose I could. I just have to fatten him up a bit. He looks unhealthy and it could come back on me as child abuse. I will keep that in mind. Perhaps I'll sleep on it." the man said. He grabbed Harry roughly from his collar and tossed him into a cupboard situated under the stairs. The man and his sister then went into the sitting room and Severus heard him crying. Severus was truly revolted at such treatment. He left the house leaving the door open in his wake and he apparated just outside Hogwarts grounds. When he reached the castle he went straight to the Headmaster and told him what he saw. The Headmaster looked grave. He seemed at loss for what he should do. The boys life would be in danger here in the magical world according to him. Severus left the old man contemplating and returned to his rooms. He was on the verge of bringing him back here to Hogwarts with him.

The next day after his last class he went back to Privet drive. He went inside to find the boy sitting alone at the table wolfing down some leftovers. His relatives nowhere in sight. Severus stood back and watched the child who looked as if he hadn't eaten for a few days. Severus took in his large thin shirt that slightly revealed a purple bruise between his bony shoulder blades. Severus then took in the bruises that covered his knobby legs. His hands were raw and red almost as if they had been soaked in chemicals or extremely hot water. The welts from his cousin still on his arms. His aunt walked in a second later just as he swallowed the last of the cold chicken. She threw him a dirty look before taking his plate and telling him to go to his cupboard. He left the table quickly and Severus followed him to the same cupboard that was under the stairs. He began to wonder if this was possibly his bedroom. He pulled the door open a crack without him noticing and peered in. Inside was a small mattress covered neatly in a thin blanket. Hidden in a small corner were small dolls apparently made with sticks. These were obviously his toys. The little boy began to talk.

"Hewo Lily James. You awr ok? My uncle made me buern my awms again. It stinges very much. I knows dat won day I won't hab to get my awms buwned again. When I get big an strong like my daddy." the child was saying talking to the two long legged spiders in a web in the corner. Severus felt a tug on his heart. It saddened him to see the child like this. He also felt anger building up. Severus heard the front door open he straightened up and stepped out of the way in time as Vernon plowed by slamming the cupboard door shut. He had a smile on his beefy face. And in his hand he carried a bottle of bleach. He went into the kitchen to see his wife who had began dinner. Severus stared after the man in wonder. He went upstairs to see what the porky son was up to. As he stood in the door way he saw the sister tickling him with a great fondness on her face as she read him a story. The child laughed and giggled with joy as he sat beside his aunt. Severus went down stairs and watched Vernon and Petunia as she chatted about her day while cooking. That night at dinner they let Harry join them. Vernon made him eat as much as he could hold in. It made Harry happy but Severus uneasy.

Severus watched this behavior for two weeks. They also seemed to treat him a little nicer and Severus' uneasiness grew. Minerva had also began to watch over the child in the form of a Tabby cat that young Dudley had found abandon. The cat would only appear for a few hours every night to play with the Dudley as Harry watched from a distance. Minerva did notice how mean the plumper child was to Harry, who was growing at an alarming pace. His cheeks were rounder and his eyes brighter. He wasn't receiving beatings from his uncle but he was still being pinched and shoved by his cousin.

On the night just acouple of months before Harry's birthday Severus was running late to check on the boy. When he entered the house on Privet drive all the windows where darkened. The family must have went to bed early. This however made Severus uneasy. He entered the house quietly to hear faint whimpering and moaning sounds. Severus went to the cupboard under the stairs were he knew Harry resided. The boy was inside on his thin mattress tears leaking out of his pale face. Next to him was and empty sippy cup (un/ sippy cups are what kids use when little and they don't use a bottle anymore they use a cup with a lid that doesn't spill as easily). Severus picked it up and sniffed at the contents. He could very faintly smell the toxic smell of bleach. He pulled the cloak off himself and groped for the child in the dark. He felt his head which was on fire and then reached for his wrist. He felt his faint pulse and began to panic. He pulled the kid out of the cupboard and grabbed his cloak. Pulling out his wand he put a nasty curse on the stairs that would react to the first person who came down. Then he dissapparated with a pop. He ran up to Hogwarts from the gates and took the boy straight to the infirmary. The matron nearly fainted when Severus told her what happened to the child. Once he was sure she would be able to handle the boy Severus went to the Headmaster.

/another chapter. note that this story will get a little funny and perhapsa slightly fluffy Snape before it ends in tragedy. well Review please let me know what you think. TTFN

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